Chronically Late
by numina
Summary: Beautiful face, beautiful figure, beautiful personality...chronically late. SxS ExT. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **AU. OOC-ness. I think so. Rated T for language.

**Disclaimer: **This story has been around _so_ long it's almost an urban legend. However, I'd like to see it played out with Sakura and Syaoran. I got the idea to do this while watching the second movie for the _nth_ time -- Sakura's always late. So...I don't own the characters, nor is the ending originally mine (wooh! How many stories end like _this_, anyway?). HOWEVER, the plot...? THAT'S **MINE**. Now read!

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- - - - -

**Chronically**_Late_

_Sakura_**Syaoran**

**- - - - -**

**-**

_Th_ere'_s a **very** _thin_ line between boy fri_en_d and **boy**friend._

_-_

"Sakura Kinimoto! Hurry _up!_"

"Syaoran, don't go all berserk on us," a midnight-blue haired teen muttered, poking his head out of the window to calm down his temperamental cousin.

However, said temperamental cousin was _way_ too far from being calm. Li Syaoran was someone you would _not_ like to cross. He huffed, and resisting the urge to stomp his foot, opted to lean on the cool metal of his sports car instead. "Kinimoto..."

"Go easy on her," a quiet yet firm voice echoed from the passenger seat, filtering out of the open window. "It _is_ her birthday, after all."

"Daidouji-chan--"

"And even if you yell, she won't hear you."

Eriol Hiirigazawa nodded thoughtfully. "We're going to be the ones who'd be deaf, yeah."

Syaoran narrowed his amber eyes, and smirked. "You _always_ agree with Daidouji, don't you?"

"You know, I can kill you right here."

"Pssh. KINIMOTO, HURRY UP!"

"Keep it down, Li-kun!" a brunette bespectacled girl yelled before honking her chartreuse car's horn. Naoko was someone who had the brains of a genius and the driving skills of a Formula One racer -- thus the natural choice for her to be their driver. Beside her Rika sat...a girl who was actually _engaged_ to her homeroom professor...maybe age didn't matter for her...?

"Yeah," another teen yawned, in the same position as him but on Naoko's car. He yawned once again. It was pretty hard to tell whether Takashi was sleepy or wide awake; the teen had always kept his eyes shut. Only Chiharu had seen his eyes. No duh. Your girlfriend _was_ supposed to see your eyes. Speaking of Chiharu...

"Where the heck is your girlfriend, anyway?" Eriol stuck his head out the window once again, glancing at Takashi.

"I'm right _here_, Hiirigazawa-kun!" Another brunette, with her head up in pigtails (and so Syaoran thinks, for crying out loud! Pigtails! And she was _twenty_!) and wound up in ribbon. Takashi turned to her and whispered something, and Chiharu reddened, before smacking him on the head.

Syaoran stared in confusion. "What are they doing?"

"It's a couple thing," Tomoyo stated smoothly, leaning out of the window herself. In doing so he could see she had to literally kneel across Eriol -- which made for a very red-faced cousin.

He smirked. "Daidouji-chan, you might want to open the door and get out. My cousin's getting kinda squished. Of course, I can see that he likes that."

Tomoyo froze, and blushed scarlet, splotches of color blooming spectacularly on her white cheeks. Pssh. Obviously, she liked him, and vice-versa. Ever since they were in diapers. Well, maybe not since then, but it was close to it.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Syaoran, I'm going to kill you right _now_," Eriol hissed murderously, sapphire eyes flashing, and threw open his door.

Several things happened in quick succession, all of which made them roar with laughter.

You _don't_ open a car door when someone is leaning out of it.

You _don't_ try a feeble attempt at clutching at that person's waist, trying to keep her from falling into a heap on the pavement.

You _don't_ cling on to her (and roll over, and do some stupid flashy spinning move in the air) in another desperate attempt to save her from hitting the cold, hard (not to mention germ-laden) concrete.

Unfortunately, Eriol seemed to have an aversion to 'you _don'ts_' today, thus leaving both him and Tomoyo on the pavement, legs and feet still caught in the car. Not to mention said feet were tangled together in a badly-gone game of footsie. The raven-haired girl was panting, hard, her elbows holding her up inches from a stunned Eriol's face, her waist-length hair fanned beside her cheeks, creating a curtain of sorts.

Let's try a comparison. If Eriol blushing earlier could be compared to, say, meteorological events, that one earlier, would only be a breeze. Now? More like a hurricane. Wooh. The country Eriol hit by hurricane Tomoyo.

"I think Eriol likes the view, Daidouji," he grinned once again. Takashi whistled, and even quiet Rika was laughing hard.

"Hoee!" The front door of the apartment burst open, revealing a very harried and red-faced auburn-locked girl. "Sorry, sorry, sor--- Tomoyo-chan!" She exclaimed, eyes widening as she skidded to a stop beside him. "Go get a room or something!"

If that was a hurricane...then this one would be a very _big_ hurricane. Sakura's words seemed to have snapped Eriol out of his reverie. "Uh, this is awkward, Tomoyo-chan," he said softly.

"Y-yeah. Okay," she murmured.

"Uh."

"Hm."

"Tomoyo-chan! Eriol-kun! Get moving!" Sakura huffed.

"A little help here?" the boy said in a monotone, hands still around Tomoyo's waist. "We can't get up; our feet's stuck in the car..."

As much as Syaoran would like to leave dear cousin Eriol in his..._ehem_... very compromising situation, there _was_ still a birthday to celebrate. "Fine," he motioned to the auburn-haired girl beside him. "Get Daidouji up."

Sakura helped Tomoyo out of the car, and Syaoran pulled his cousin to his feet. Both of them then got insde the car once more, and the raven-haired girl seemed to have taken to sitting at least six inches away from Eriol. Whatever. The brunette sighed in relief. "_Finally_," he said, walking around his car's hood and sliding into the driver's seat. "I --"

"Let it go, Li-kun," Tomoyo said in a very dangerous voice. Eeep. Now, men like Syaoran weren't supposed to be scared of girls like Tomoyo Daidouji...but the amethyst-eyed girl sometimes just freaked him out. Uh. Moving on to less embarrassing topics...

"Sorry, okay?" Sakura panted, slamming her own door. Syaoran winced. "Got caught up in something..."

He turned the key in the ignition. "Yeah,yeah, like al--okay, shutting up now." Tomoyo had coughed discreetly, in such a way that it effortlessly conveyed 'One more word you bastard and I'm going to make sure you'll never have kids'.

Yes. Tomoyo was scary, escpecially when Sakura was involved.

This was going to be a long drive.

- - - - -

"Uh, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow as she glanced at the rearview mirror.

"Yeah?"

She grinned widely. "Eriol-kun's staring at you."

Sounds of a spluttering Eriol filled the car. "Shut up, Kinimoto."

She grinned even wider. "Ah, you are _so_ defensive!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Oh, for the love of God! Are you people ten years old or something!" Syaoran swerved suddenly, narrowly missing an oncoming motorcycle. Sakura could hear him curse under his breath.

"Cool it, Syao-kun," she rolled her eyes, and slumped down further into her seat. "But Eriol-kun _was_ staring at Tomoyo-chan. Hey Tomo, you should kiss him already."

"_Kinimoto!"_

"_Sakura-chan!_"

Sounds of two spluttering teenagers filled the car this time.

- - - - -

Traffic was something Syaoran never liked, and it never liked him back. Too bad they were stuck in it now.

"Sa_ku_ra-chan, get your hands off my radio," he hissed, throwing a glare at the auburn-haired girl. To his surprise, she just smiled and sank back into her car seat, forgoing the usual argument they always had.

Huh? Girls.

It was her nineteenth birthday today, and they were going to celebrate it in one of the downtown's bigger restaurants...owned by his cousin (and once pre-arranged fiancée) Li Meiling. That girl was a smart one, owning an upscale restaurant at the age of twenty-one. Well, they were supposed to be there at seven in the evening, but due to his best-friend's chronic lateness, they would arrive at Café Li at seven-thirty. And _that_ was the earliest.

Pssh. Sakura was _always_ late. Syaoran ran a hand through his hair frustratedly.

Ever since they first met when she was ten, and he was eleven, Sakura had always been late. Everytime they had to go on a field trip or something, she would always be the last to arrive. She would sometimes miraculously manage to sneak into their classroom ten minutes late...gah. Always.

There was that one memorable night years ago -- the junior-senior prom. Sakura _had_ asked him to pick her up, because her partner hadn't offered (thusly he made a mental note to punch said guy later) to do so, but they ended up at the event an hour late because _she_ had fallen asleep or something. Wooh. Her partner was pissed. Turned out he _had_ asked Sakura if he could pick her up, but the girl declined -- and now Syaoran was the one who arrived with her.

A good side though--he was her partner for the rest of the night. Is that a good side? Huh? Moving on.

Now that they were in university, the professors were more lenient with attendance, but still... it was a wonder she had two boyfriends over the past two years --boys who could actually stand her being _not_ on time. Too chivalric. Hm, but Sakura _had_ kept him up all night when she broke up with them, enumerating the reasons _why_ she dumped him, yadda, yadda...and of course, she ended up being late for her first class the next morning.

Sakura was always chronically late.

Pssh. She _is _the almost perfect girl, see? Beautiful face, beautiful figure, beautiful personality...chronic lateness.

"Syaoran-kun, you're spacing out again," her melodic voice jolted him out of his trip down memory lane, which, incidentally, was full of memories of _her_.

He sighed. "I was just thinking..."

"Okay. I understand. After all, I've watched you think for what-- almost ten years now?" she teased, and laughed softly.

"Yeah..."

"Oh, look! Traffic's moving! Yay!"

He sneaked a sidelong glance at his best friend. Brilliant emerald eyes glittered with excitement, probably at the prospect of her friends treating her to dinner.

_Friends..._

It was all so freaking cliché. He the kid who fell in love with his supposedly 'best friend'. That was supposed to happen only in movies, but here he was. Great. Somebody go label him a 'Hopelessly Romantic Fool' now.

"Syao-kun! You _might_ want to get this thing _moving_!"

"Okay, OKAY, don't go berserk, Saku-chan."

"Shut it!"

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Well...it _was_ supposed to be a oneshot. Until I realized it'd be kinda long if I squeezed it into one chapter. And yeah, that prom thing? That actually happened to me...only it was the fault of the girl who we were carpooling with. Gah.

Read and review, guys. I'd really appreciate it...Flames are accepted.

As for the disclaimer thing, you'd have to follow the story to find out what exactly it is!

Ja ne!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Here you are. It it **not**a oneshot, people.

Seating arrangements go like this:

_wall ! _Naoko, Syaoran, Sakura, Rika

_end of table ! _Meilin

_wall ! _Takashi, Chiharu, Eriol, Tomoyo

**Disclaimer: **CLAMP owns CCS. Yep.

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- - - - -

**Chronically**_Late_

_Sakura_**Syaoran**

**- - - - -**

"Kinimoto-chan! Happy birthday!"

Sakura suddenly found her arms full of a very smiley Meilin Li, as soon as she stepped through the spacious threshold of Café Li. She gently wriggled free of her grasp and stared at Syaoran's cousin.

Meilin Li was a sharp type of girl--ruby eyes bright and intimidating, and lips ready to carry out the Li scowl (or smirk, as the occasion called it to be). Long ebony hair cascaded behind her back, tied up into two hair buns. (and at this point Sakura wondered how come Syaoran always picked on Chiharu's pigtails, but never on his cousin's. Probably because Meilin could beat him up if he did--they were good in martial arts, both of them.) She was wearing the classic cheongsam, scarlet red and embroidered intricately with the Li family emblem: the circle of yin and yang. Wow.

Sakura stared down belatedly on her own outfit: white sleeveless turtleneck top, gossamer pink skirt, chunky white sandals...she couldn't help but feel a little inferior.

"Kinimoto-chan?"

Sakura blinked, and bowed automatically, face red.

"Oooh, sorry, Meilin-chan, sorry!" Clasping her hands together, she went on," We were late because of me! Sorry!"

"Nah," her voice said happily. "It's alright. We kind of...guessed that you were going to be late."

Sakura straightened up, eyes wide. "Huh?"

"You're always late, anyway!" She said jokingly, grinning once again.

_Well...that sort of...hurt, _Sakura thought, biting her lip. _Am I always that late?_

"Sakura-chan," a loud voice drawled from behind her, and she felt two hands grasp her shoulders firmly. "You can get out of the doorway now, 'cause people are going through."

She glanced back into a faceful of smirking Syaoran. "U-uh! O-okay, sorry!"

She let herself be maneuvered into the restaurant, wondering if she was blushing because of embarrassment, or because Syaoran's fingers were digging into her shoulders--it tickled. _Stop blushing, Sakura!_

- - - - -

"That. Was. Awesome," Takashi said happily, eyes crinkling up more than usual.

Syaoran sighed contentedly in agreement. The Café Li really was worthy of the Li name; the food was scrumptious. Although Sakura accidentally sent an oyster shell flying, it really was a wonderful dinner.

They were now seated comfortably around the against-the-wall table; plush leather seats molding to them. Tomoyo, Rika, and Meilin were in an animated conversation about the current fashion trend. Chiharu and Sakura were talking about the upcoming Tomoeda University exhibit. He, Takashi, Eriol, and Naoko were in the midst of a discussion about the newest Ford model--Naoko was planning on buying it.

"...I say you should wait for next year's model," Eriol said firmly. "It's bound to be much better."

"But my current car's not going to make it till next year!" Naoko argued back. Spectacles flashed at each other. Syaoran shook his head resignedly--here they go again.

"_Umf._"

He blinked, feeling Sakura jerk repeatedly beside him. "Sakura...?"

"Oh, she just swallowed some water the wrong way," Chiharu said casually, pointing to the water glass clutched in the auburn-haired girl's white fingers.

"Pssh," Syaoran smirked slightly, massaging his best friend's back in small comforting (he hoped) circles, like he usually did, 'cause Sakura always choked on something one way or another, as a result of trying to eat or drink too fast, which was a result of her hyperness. "Thought something happened to you, yeah," he murmured out of the corner of his mouth.

She panted a bit and straightened her back, smiling back at him. "T-Thanks, Syaoran-kun."

"Nothin' to it."

"Go on, Sakura-san, keep on smiling. My cousin seems to _like the view_," Eriol drawled loudly, grinning in that infuriating Cheshire way.

Syaoran froze as the whole table stopped to stare at him and Sakura. Uh. It was the lighting, yeah. Dim, warm lighting made Sakura _seem_ to blush, but she really wasn't. 'cause you don't blush around your best friend. Syaoran immediately let his hand drop as he felt blood rush up his cheeks.

"...and revenge is served," his cousin grinned even more broadly.

Beside him, Meilin leant close to Tomoyo's ear, and whispered something. The raven-haired girl giggled loudly, and she started staring at the two of them. Knowing Tomoyo, she was probably fervently wishing she brought her videocamera...and knowing Tomoyo even more, it's probable that she _did_ bring a videocam.

"Stop staring," Sakura said confusedly. "Do I have something on my teeth? Something on my clothes?"

Eriol heaved a sigh. "There's a huge something called Syaoran who's staring at you like--"

"You can start opening your gifts now," he said as loud as he can through gritted teeth, cutting off his cousin's words. Someday, preferably now, he dearly wanted to wring Eriol's neck. Yeah.

- - - - -

"Yay!" Sakura squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. Of course, it _was_ her birthday...the presents were something she really looked forward to.

"Oh, you look so _kawaii_..." Tomoyo trailed off dreamily. Sakura raised an incredulous eyebrow; her best friend was holding her trusty videocamera..._again_. Tomoyo had started filming her the day after they met (which was almost ten years ago), and there were no signs she was going to stop doing so anytime soon. "Open mine first."

She pushed a beribboned box across the just-cleared table, and Sakura carefully undid the red ribbon and took the lid off. She grinned gratefully; nestled inside the mounds of light green tissue paper was a silk chartreuse nightgown. She ran light fingers across the fabric; it actually _was_ real silk--testament to the fact that Tomoyo was really, really rich. And it was probably Tomoyo's own design too. "It's gorgeous," she breathed. "Thank you _so_ much, Tomoyo-chan."

"It's all right," she giggled, waving a pale hand behind her videocam.

"Here's mine," Eriol said, setting down a sleek black case, about the size of her hand, on the table. "Hope you like it."

Eyebrows furrowing slightly, she reached for the case.

"Wow."

Sakura stared down into the opened case, and Syaoran leant closer to her to take a better look. She heard him gasp.

"Are...are these..." she stammered, staring up into the bespectacled boy's serene face. "...these...real...?"

He nodded, shrugging. "Emeralds only. Rest are Swarovski ones."

She stared back into the case, eyes fixed on the sparkling bracelet lying on the black velvet. Emeralds alternated with every five clear crystals, and the from the silver clasp dangled a medium-sized emerald heart. "...I'm pretty speechless."

"Ah, Hiirigazawa-kun," Meilin said loudly. "You've overdone yourself...what about us poor mortals, huh?"

He shrugged once again, identical smiles blooming on his and Meilin's faces.

Fierce ruby eyes turned to face her, and Sakura snapped the case shut nervously.

"This is from me," she said briskly, handing Sakura a small and narrow paper bag. She pried the top open and drew out a scarlet box. Inside was a signature fruity fragrance--the one Sakura had had her eye on for something like half a year now.

"Hey, Meilin-chan...I've wanted this forever, you know," she grinned at the ebony-haired manager. "Thanks."

"We decided to give you a joint gift," Chiharu voiced out, pressing a white envelope into her hand. Takashi nodded beside her. Sakura carefully slit the envelope open, and took out a voucher for her favorite restaurant downtown. She beamed at the couple.

Naoko tilted her head thoughtfully. "Well, me and Rika...our gifts complement each other, see. 'cause great minds think alike."

Rika heaved up another paper bag, pink this time, up on her lap and into Sakura's. "It's kinda heavy...you can always ask Li-kun to carry it for you, anyway."

Sakura sneaked a glance at Syaoran out of the corner of her eye, and quickly looked away: the chestnut-haired boy was staring at her. Uhm. Awkward. Okay. She hurriedly undid the ribbon holding the bag closed. Inside, she could see a pretty thick book titled _"Crafts and More Crafts: Teddy Bear Edition"_, and a clear plastic box nestled beside, with the words _"Craft Box Supplies"_ across its side. She couldn't help but squeal; teddy bears were something of an obsession to her. "Oh, Naoko-chan, Rika-chan! Thank you!" She giggled inanely, hugging the bag to her chest.

"Well then, they _do_ say save the best for last," Eriol suddenly said loudly, folding his arms in a knowing way. Sakura felt her cheeks heat up as she turned to her best boy friend.

Fire had been sprinkled liberally across Syaoran's cheeks, and he ran a hand through his hair nervously. His amber eyes were looking straight down at the table. "Sorry if mine is pretty simple, Sakura-chan," he muttered, bringing out a medium-sized circular box (**a/n: **'cause that's what it is. Like a hat box. Okay.) from under the table, around which was tied a simple white ribbon.

She shook her head. "All I care about is that I _do_ get a gift," she said jokingly, setting down Naoko and Rika's gift on the floor in front of her feet.

"Right," he said faintly, pushing the box in her general direction, determinedly not looking at her.

Eyebrows furrowing once more, she undid the ribbon and lifted the top off.

"...Syaoran-kun!"

Propped up against the side of the box was a very-soft looking teddy bear, honey-colored amber with a deep green ribbon tied around its neck, and adorable sienna eyes. She took it out and held it in both hands, unable to control her smile.

Meilin and Eriol burst into laughter, and Tomoyo sighed dreamily, focusing the camera lens on her even more. Chiharu and Takashi 'awwed', Naoko beamed, and Riku blushed (probably thinking of the teddy bear _she_ gave to their prof).

"Syao! This is _so_ cute!" she giggled, making the bear dance on the table.

He sighed in relief, and turned to her, amber meeting jade green. "You like it?"

She nodded.

"...'cause I've never made a teddy bear before."

Eriol let out a low whistle. "Syaoran, you actually _made_ the bear?"

Syaoran twiddled his thumbs. "Yeah...and Sakura, look inside the box again."

Curious, Sakura set the bear propped up on her lap, and peered inside the box once again. In the midst of the thin paper crumpled inside was another, much smaller, white velvet case, and an envelope, on which _'Sakura'_ was written in Syaoran's precise handwriting. "What...?"

She snapped the case open.

"...uh, Li-kun," Rika started. "Don't tell me that's handmade too."

"Okay, I won't tell you."

"...you _made_ this?" Sakura gasped, examining the piece of jewelry.

A pendant made of perfectly clear crystal was lying neatly inside the case; a star enclosed in a circle, with tiny crystal wings on either side. A small crystal bar extended from the bottom, in the semblance of a key. (**a/n** think Sakura's star pendant--gone crystal and sparkly) The pendant dangled from a finely wrought silver necklace.

Syaoran shrugged. "The university once had a gemcutting workshop...you know, the one you wanted to sign up for but couldn't because you already had cooking class."

"I didn't know my cousin was capable of such..._fine_ work," Meilin said, surprised.

Sakura stared at the pendant.

"Sorry; it's just plain crystal, Sakura-chan," Syaoran muttered in her direction, head bowed. "It's okay if you don't like it, I can make you another one, and--"

"Silly!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around her best friend (she felt that should be repeated for emphasis) and proceeding to hug the living daylights out of him. With her arms wrapped securely around his waist, she whispered in his ear, "_I like your gift the best, Syaoran."_

Her heart pounded in her ears as she realized how that sounded...

"_Glad you liked it, Sakura,"_ he whispered gleefully (never mind that she squirmed because his breath tickled her earlobe), hugging her back tightly.

Tomoyo squealed, and Sakura could almost hear Eriol smirk.

- - - - -

"See you guys at the university!"

"Chiharu! Don't forget our project!"

"Come back soon!" Meilin waved enthusiastically from the front steps of Café Li. Syaoran gave a little wave himself before driving off, tires, thankfully, not squealing.

Naoko, Rika, Chiharu, and Takashi had all gone the opposite direction, seeing that they lived on the other side of Tomoeda district. Tomoyo and Eriol (both resolutely not looking at each other) had slid into the back seat of his car, Eriol tapping on his cellphone, and Tomoyo in another animated conversation with Sakura, this time, about Daidouji Corporation's bid on fashion.

"...and you'd be the designer!" The auburn-haired girl squealed, twisting around under her seatbelt in an impressive display of flexibility.

"It'll be great! And you can be our model! Yay!" Tomoyo leant forward in between Sakura and him, continuing their animated conversation.

"No way, Tomo-chan--"

"To_mo_yo-chan," Eriol said loudly from the back seat, "_Sit down._ You might get thrown into the windshield or something."

Syaoran felt the raven-haired girl look slowly back and stare at his cousin. He smirked. Eriol was getting what he deserved.

"...fine. But if you get hurt, don't blame me."

And so the girls carried on with their discussion.

He adjusted the rearview mirror and caught the reflection of his cousin. Eriol rolled his sapphire eyes and mouthed _'Girls.'_. Syaoran gave a little shrug, and turned his eyes back on the road.

On which a bright yellow sixteen-wheeler was careening straight towards them.

_Naoko's the good one at this!_ He yelled silently as he swerved the car hard to the left, spinning the steering wheel as fast as he could, foot stepping sporadically on the gas pedal. Sakura and Tomoyo screamed in unison, and a loud _thump_ followed--Syaoran surmised it must be Tomoyo getting thrown back.

He skidded the car to a stop, front wheels barely mounting the sidewalk. Syaoran looked around his seat , and found a blushing Tomoyo thrown backwards, right into an even redder Eriol, whose face was scrunched up in a mixture of pain, nervousness, and glee.

"...I'm not saying _I told you so," _the midnight-haired teen winced. "Now _geroff me_."

"Shut up," she breathed, straightening up and brushing imaginary dirt off her skirt.

Eriol smirked.

Syaoran sighed, and turned to Sakura. His best friend was still white-faced and panting, but okay nonetheless. Still, it never hurt to ask. "You okay?"

She turned to face him, jade green eyes wide and fearful. _She still _does_ look beautiful_-- "You are no Naoko, Syaoran! Don't pull stunts like that!" She yelled angrily.

"It was either I do it or we die," he said calmly, starting the car once again and maneuvering it back onto the road.

"But still!"

"...eh, Sakura-chan, I'd really prefer you reach your next birthday," Syaoran stated flatly, keeping his eyes on the road. Too bad he didn't get the plate number of that truck.

"Of course you do! Gah!" She threw her hands up in frustration.

Now Syaoran smiled.

- - - - -

"License, registration, visitor's pass please."

Sakura stared. She _did_ knowthat the Daidouji mansion had security, but this...? At the gate no less than six black-suited figures were standing, each with a walkie-talkie, shades, and most probably, a loaded gun.

"It's okay, Lou. They're with me," Tomoyo spoke up, leaning slightly in order to be seen through Syaoran's window.

"Miss Daidouji, you know the drill," the bodyguard spoke sternly. She sighed and got out of the car, muttering "_This'll take a sec."_

"I guess this means no nighttime escapades for you and Daidouji-chan, Eriol," Syaoran was saying, stretching his arms above his head. A second later, he was rubbing the side of his head, for his cousin had given him a pretty sharp smack.

Tomoyo got back inside the car and sighed exasperatedly. "Okaa-san's having a dinner party tonight--explains the security."

The steel-grilled gates opened, and the car slowly drove inside, around the manicured lawn and right in front of the Daidouji mahogany front doors, in front of which their butler and more security milled around.

"Well, this is where I go," she said sadly, unlocking her door and opening it, hands securely around her videocamera.

"See you tomorrow, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "Thanks for the gift!"

"G'bye, Daidouji-chan," Syaoran nodded slightly, hands still gripping the steering wheel.

"...G'night, Tomoyo-chan," Eriol said distantly, folding his hands together, determinedly staring at the floor. Sakura beamed--as Tomoyo would have said it--so _kawaii_.

"B'bye guys."

She slid out of the door and onto the pavement, where a horde of security people were waiting for her.

"..."

"..."

"...I gotta do something." Eriol said suddenly, opening his own door and almost leaping out. "You two have fun," Sakura heard him say before he closed the door quietly.

"Took him long enough," Syaoran said knowingly, folding his arms. Sakura giggled, as she watched Eriol jog up to Tomoyo before she went inside. He tapped her on the shoulder and she whirled around, going white-faced. Eriol then scratched his head, and Tomoyo peered up at him. He said something, and she blushed visibly, even from far away. They both turned, and went into the Daidouji mansion together.

"Their kid's pretty lucky," he went on. "Fabulously rich even before the age of one."

"Yeah. They'd spoil them rotten," she agreed, as Syaoran drove off and out of the gate.

A very uncomfortable pause, that shouldn't really be uncomfortable, 'cause they've been alone together for innumerable times now, and at even later times than nine in the evening.

Sakura stared at her hands, and twiddled her fingers, stealing a glance at her best friend's profile.

Syaoran had a well-defined nose, and lips that could curve into a smile or a smirk anytime. Intense amber eyes were focused on the street, and unruly chestnut hair covered a brain that had magna cum laude (**a/n: **latin for with higher honors) standing.

He was wearing a crisp white polo, unbuttoned, with a forest green shirt underneath, underneath which Sakura knew lay a body that was tanned and toned, 'cause he was a soccer goalie--she should know; she had been cheering him on ever since fourth grade.

Cripes, he was gorgeous. She immediately blushed, and turned back to examining her hands.

...sometimes she wished they _were_ more than best friends, but Syaoran didn't seem to be interested in girls of _her_ type. Well, you can't have everything in this world, anyway.

"Let's go for a drive around Tomoeda."

She blinked, and turned to stare at him curiously. It wasn't a question; it was more like a declaration--a statement. He glanced at her, and smiled slightly.

_Well...it's still early, anyway._ Blushing, she nodded in agreement.

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'cause I want to write fluff. Don't like it? Tell me. Like it? Tell me. Should I write more? Tell me.

That purple button needs love. XD


	3. Chapter 3

Yay. An update.

Thank you to those who took time to review.

...I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura.

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- - - - -

**Chronically**_Late_

_Sakura_**Syaoran**

**- - - - -**

_creeak, creeak._

They had been here in Tomoeda's famous penguin park, where the huge testament to penguins (of course, it _was_ penguin park) loomed over them in silent fascination. The park was known as a haven for children by day, and a somewhat meeting ground for lovers by night--Tomoyo said something about the park's innocent ambiance, but Sakura was far too stubborn about lovers and those things to listen.

Eh. Love was something Sakura considered herself far too young for. She had had boyfriends in the past, but it had always turned out wrong for her. Her first boyfriend (of which she had told herself never to speak the name of _ever_ cross-her-heart-and-hope-to-die) was just after her popularity as head cheerleader back in high school, while the second one (of which we shall not name for the fear of Sakura's wrath) she found cheating on her--right here in this park.

Now that she thought about it, _this_ was the first time in almost two years that she had been here.

...of all the stupid places to be, at ten in the evening.

Her eyelid twitched happily.

She pushed off the gravel under her feet, and heard the old swing chains creak in the still night air.

_creeak, creeak._

Earlier that night Syaoran had taken them around for (what she found out later) an aimless drive around Tomoeda. Strange, though--the brunet had not been his usual Sakura-my-my-you've-gained-a-lot-of-weight self. He'd been his surly I-am-a-Li-and-I-am-tired-of-being-one-rawr persona, amber eyes focused on the road in front of him.

Gah. Had she done something to set her best friend off...?

Sakura stole a glance at the boy on the swing beside her. Syaoran was engaged in a staring match with that particular piece of gravel by his sneakers. She rolled her eyes and sighed. It was almost like seeing him--_wait this **was** where they first met--_that day ten years ago.

**x--x**

_"Sakura-chan!" Chiharu hollered, hurling the volleyball in her direction--after what seemed like ten hours trying to get it out from under the Penguin Slide. Pssh. Like it was _her_ fault it got under there. She was just...playing around with the white ball, anyway._

_"Eh? Sakura!" Tomoyo's frantic voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Sakura whirled around just in time to see the volleybal (which she _was_ supposed to catch) hit a boy on the swings squarely on the head, making him topple over into the gravel._

_"Hoee!" she muttered under her breath, sprinting to the swings, hoping that the boy didn't get a concussion or something._

_She stared in awe as the boy swung his feet and flipped over. He sat back down again on the steel swing, rubbing his head and groaning. The volleyball was tucked under his other arm_

_He was older than her--probably eleven, she figured. Unruly chestnut hair swept across intense amber eyes. If she squinted, she could see the patch of red that the volleyball had hit._

_Rika and Chiharu had already caught up with her, panting beside her. _

_The pigtailed girl moaned. "Oh no...not with Li-san."_

_Sakura turned to her friend, bewildered. "Li?"_

_"He's a Li," Rika explained. "And Lis aren't too friendly..." she trailed off._

_"Hmph," she nodded her head determinedly. Hey, she didn't really care if this Li hated everyone or not; she was going to get their volleyball back. Nevermind that she had almost given him a concussion. Ignoring Rika and Chiharu's simultaneous gasp, she waked towards the boy._

_...it didn't help when he stared at her as she came closer. She felt her resolve melt._

_"...eheh, gomen nasai..." she bit her lip. "I'm really sorry...uhm. So. Can we have our volleyball back...?"_

_The boy just stared at her unceasingly. She flinched involuntarily. _

_"Li-san, uhm, the ball," she said in a miraculously even voice, holding out both her hands._

_"...you know who I am?" he asked mildly, amber eyes curiously scrutinizing her. _

_Sakura wasn't exactly known for her patience; Tomoyo was the master of _that _field. "Yes," she said irritably._

_"...and you're still talking to me?"_

_"Because you have our volleyball."_

_"I see," he paused, then tossed the ball to her with one hand. Sakura barely caught it. She gritted her teeth, there was something in the way that he still continued to stare at her. Like he was going to pounce on her or something._

_"Thanks," she managed to say, before spinning on her heels and tossing the ball on to Tomoyo._

_"...thanks for talking to me too, Kinimoto-san."_

**x--x**

She remembered blinking rapidly at that point, and then walking off with her friends, leaving the chestnut-haired boy behind.

Li sat with her in school ever since--he was like a wolf, standing guard over her, very much like but not quite Touya, her overprotective onii-chan.

She then learned that his full name was Syaoran Li, and that he was very grateful that somebody actually worked up the courage to talk to him, even after learning that he _was_ a Li. Feeling very stupid, she asked why the Lis were feared.

Syaoran calmly told her that they were one of the most influential families in China, and that he was trained to kill ever since the age of five. He could get pretty violent if he wanted to. Sakura just blinked at him, and raised an eyebrow--like he was going to try and kill her or something.

...and so a beautiful friendship was born--one that lasted through grade school, high school, two boyfriends, one prearranged marriage, two girlfriends, countless cramming sessions, dozens of sports-related injuries, dozens of overprotective-brother-related injuries, nights of sleepovers and hangovers, and almost ten years of living in general.

"Syaoran-kun?" she asked aloud, the sound of gravel under her feet oddly comforting in the silence that hung heavily between them.

"Yeah?"

_Yay, he finally spoke!_

"Push me?" she smiled at the chestnut-haired boy, knowing that he'd comply. He seemed to fight a smirk of his own as he got up, ran his fingers through his hair, and started pushing her on the swing.

Sakura giggled, feeling the night air caress her face and thread through her auburn hair. Again, the touch of his fingers on her shoulderblades tickled, but she wasn't going to tell him that--she suspected he knew that already.

Sometimes she suspected Syaoran knew her better than herself; being best friends for something like ten years did that to you.

She blinked; oh yeah...

- - - - -

"Eh...?" Syaoran stared as Sakura suddenly sat up straight. Her feet skidded noisily on the gravel as she halted her momentum and spun the swing around, so that the chains were crossed and she was facing him. Bright jade eyes sparkled from underneath auburn bangs.

"I want to give you something," she said, patting her skirts for something unseen.

He raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Sakura pursed her lips, eyebrows furrowed, until she drew out a small blue pouch from a pale pink skirt pocket. "You know!" she said brightly, beaming up at him from the swing. "Friendship rings! We've been best buddies for so long that we don't actually need proof, but it'd be nice if we had--"

Syaoran burst out into incredulous laughter. "S-Sakura-chan," he panted, putting his hands on his waist. "You just turned nineteen! Friendship rings are for gradeschoolers, together with pinky swears and all that girly stuff! C'mon, act mature!" He burst into uncontrollable laughter once again--_really_, Sakura sometimes acted like she was ten years old all over again.

Her face fell visibly, and her lips curved downwards into a frown.

He choked on his own voice, and he swallowed uncomfortably. He felt like punching himself. _Yep, Syaoran, nice move. Laugh at her. Yep._

"Okay, Syao-kun..." she said, obviously crestfallen, twirling around the swing, the chains straightening.

Syaoran mentally kicked himself, and it actually hurt.

- - - - -

Awww...Syaoran could be too serious for his own good sometimes. She supposed it came with being a Li and all. It didn't help that Syaoran was supposed to be the heir of the Li family.

He was never supposed to go here to Tomoeda, anyway. Syaoran was arranged to study in one of China's exclusive schools, but his mother had suddenly decided to let him take a breather, somewhere far away from the pressures of the Li clan. Japan was perfect.

He had been notorious as 'the kid who stared', referring to his uncanny ability to strike fear by just staring at someone in the eye. Sakura learned that he had been trained to do that, as with his whole family.

She was the first one, out of his family, to actually carry on a coherent conversation with the chestnut-haired boy. That fact struck Syaoran deeply, and from then on, he stuck to her like super glue. Of course, his resolve to stay that way was tested when her brother Touya caught wind of some kid following his sister around.

Needless to say, Syaoran still stuck to her, not minding the spectacular black eye that had blossomed on his face.

At first, she had thoroughly been frightened. Then irritated, for Syaoran refused to leave her unless (a) absolutely necessary, and (b) she was safe at home. Then he just kind of...grew on her. They were suddenly an inseparable pair--Syaoran Li and Sakura Kinimoto.

They had often been taken as a couple, but they both vehemently denied it. It kind of grossed Sakura out--her? Dating the guy who she had seen snort Coke out of his nose? The guy who jumped off a twenty-foot wall, showing off his 'skills', and ending up with a broken nose? The guy to whom she had spilled her innermost secrets to? Like hell no.

Nevertheless, having Syaoran constantly around scared off prospective suitors, until one actually came up to him and asked whether he could ask Sakura out for a date or not.

Laughing, Syaoran agreed wholeheartedly, probably amused at the fact that people seemed to see him as a replacement for the Touya.

...he wasn't laughing when she called him up in the dead of the night, sobbing about how that boy broke her heart. He stayed on the phone the whole night, just listening quietly to her.

The next day, said guy went home early with a broken nose.

The next guy to court her and break her heart immediately had a restraining order ready for Syaoran. No matter. Her best friend still ended up giving the guy a broken jaw, and several loose teeth. Being a Li sure had its perks.

Ever since then...the thought of dating her best friend didn't seem to bad. He _was_ always there for her, after all.

He was just a bit too serious for his own good sometimes.

Sakura bowed her head, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. Oh, and she spent the whole night yesterday making these.

...she then heard Syaoran grunt resignedly behind her, and she smiled weakly. What she didn't expect was for Syaoran's arms to snake over both her shoulders and grab the pouch in her pale fingers, his chin resting slightly on her shoulder. And for him to stay that way.

Gah. His unruly chestnut hair tickled her cheek.

- - - - -

He could almost feel Sakura blush.

He laughed inwardly.

Syaoran carefully opened the pouch, and upended it into one palm in front of Sakura.

_What the...?_

He felt his words die in his throat as out tumbled into his palm two silver rings, each inticately engraved with his and her's names. _Sakura_ in script around the ring in which was a jade green crystal inset, while _Syaoran_ was engraved on the ring with a round amber droplet was mounted.

Whoa. He had expected those woven-yarn rings, or ceramic rings at best. Not silver and jewels--no way.

"S-Saku-chan..." he trailed off, staring at the rings. Sakura raised one hand to steady his slightly (he had to emphasize that) shaking hand, and he felt her shoulders heave as she laughed softly.

"Friendship rings!" she repeated happily. "See? They have the same exact design; only mine has my name, and yours has your name. Yeah, mine is green 'cause I have green eyes, and yours is amber 'cause you have amber ones. Clever, huh?"

Syaoran just blinked slowly, still staring at the rings.

Sakura suddenly took his left hand and snatched the rings from his palm. "Hah. I knew you'd like it. And now you're wearing it. No buts--"

He smirked, slipping his arms from around her and twisting the swing around, turning a very surprised Sakura to face him. "Syaoran, what are you--?"

Syaoran tilted his head thoughtfully, picking up the ring with his own name from her cupped palm. "I thought _I_ was supposed to give you a present."

"I didn't give you one during your last birthday," she pointed out, cheeks blushing spectacularly in the light from the posts shining brightly in the night. Fireflies flitted around them.

It then occured to Syaoran that it looked very much like a very romantic setting, and that they looked very much like a young couple.

Agh.

...so what...

- - - - -

"Aw, Saku-chan, you're blushing," he teased, picking up the other ring from her palm.

"So are you," she shot back, pouting. Her eyebrows furrowed as she watched Syaoran hold up the ring with her name engraved on it to the light. Cripes, she spent the whole night engraving those, she did deserve getting one for herself. "And you're getting only one ring, Syaoran!"

"What made you think I'm keeping both, huh?"

She blinked, and stared, as he slipped the ring, _her_ ring, on the fourth finger of his left hand. "Syao_ran_-kun! Are you blind?" she exclaimed. "That has _my_ name on it!"

"I know."

Sakura's eyes widened. "...huh?"

"I'm keeping it, so everytime I look at it, I'd remember you," he explained, before taking her hand in his and going down on one knee in front of her.

"What do you think you're..." she trailed off, suddenly very aware of the crimson spreading across Syaoran's cheeks, and most probably on her own too.

He laughed nervously, his hand clammy under hers. "I know this looks cheesy. And I know I should've gotten my own ring to give to you. But I don't know if I'd be able to do this anytime other than _now_."

"I've been your best friend forhow many years, and I've finally decided that I want to be _more_ than best friends. I just hope I'm not ruining anything."

Amber eyes stared at her, just like that afternoon ten years ago--gaze unflinching and intense.

"Sakura Kinimoto, would you be my girlfriend?"

- - - - -

Bright green eyes widened in shock, and Sakura's breathing grew markedly faster. It was almost like she was panting or something.

Syaoran cringed--he didn't know what he would do if Sakura rejected him. Maybe kill a few people? Yeah. It sounded like a good idea.

"Silly, of course!" she suddenly laughed, swing moving erratically, chains creaking in the still night air. She watched interestedly as he slipped the ring with _his_ name on her left ring finger. "...hahaha," she giggled. "And I thought I'd have to be the one to ask you if you could be my boyfriend...hahah--"

Syaoran couldn't keep the grin off his face as she got off the swing and threw her arms around him, knocking the wind--and the surliness--out of him. She proceeded to hug the living daylights out of him, her voice soft in his ear.

"_This is the best birthday ever, Syaoran!"_

He embraced her back fiercely, not caring if the people around them stared. What? Tomoeda Park was famous for being a sort of confessional place for love.

Yep. That was what he was thinking when he was hit by a volleyball, on the very swing in front of him, ten years ago. Funny how memories repeat themselves--but this time, instead of a volleyball, he was hit by a something called Sakura Kinimoto; and like that day--they both toppled over into the ground.

And instead of groaning, Syaoran Li was laughing.

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Yay.

Next chappie's the last.

Don't worry, the title does have something to do with the story, yeppers.

Read&review. Flames are welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **rawr. Sorry. It's not the last chapter. It was so long I had to chop it in pieces.

**Disclaimer: **CLAMP owns CCS. I'm not a CLAMP artist. Therefore, I don't own CCS.

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- - - - -

**Chronically**_Late_

_Sakura_**Syaoran**

**- - - - -**

"Hoee!" Sakura Kinimoto panted, almost throwing open the door of Café Li. She literally hurled herself inside, and brushed herself off surreptitiously. She had just run the entire length of Calle Liana, the street on which Café Li stood, in her hurry to get to the restaurant in _time_.

A ruby-eyed, ebony-tressed woman stepped out from the private compartments at the back of the restaurant and eyed her curiously. "Eh? Kinimoto-san?"

Sakura bowed to her immediately, taking in the rather intricately embroidered royal blue cheongsam she wore. Meiling Li always wore a cheongsam whenever she made an appearance in her restaurant. She had figured it out because she and Syaoran Li had always chosen this place as meeting ground--

_ack!_

"Meiling-chan!" she burst out, panicked, gathering stares from the other patrons. "I--I was supposed to meet Syaoran h-here--"

Meiling blinked, and then sighed resignedly, fanning herself with a french-tipped hand. "Oh, I'm sorry, Kinimoto-san, but Syaoran had just left and sped off with that infernal car of his--I told him to get a new one already. I think he has classes at two. You can catch up with him later, though, and..."

But Sakura's shoulders had already slumped down, and she felt like collapsing on the ground right then and there. The gilded clock in front of the counter read two-thirty. She was late. Again. For something like the zillionth time in the five years that she and Syaoran had officially been a couple. Well, it counted her being late for restaurants, for dates, for class projects, for festivals...she felt a migraine coming on.

"...mmkay, Meiling-chan," she said dejectedly, brushing her auburn bangs out of her eyes.

The ebony-haired (put up into a bun and secured by porcelain chopsticks today) woman tilted her head thoughtfully. "Don't get depressed. He'll get over it sooner or later."

"...mmkay." That was all that she could manage to say as she heaved her leather messenger bag higher up her shoulder. She slowly turned around and walked towards the french doors of Café Li, dreading the inevitable sermon later. _If_ Syaoran bothered to see her, that was.

"And Kinimoto-san?" Meiling called.

Sakura looked over her shoulder.

"Try to get here on time the _next_ time, okay?"

Sakura tried, and miserably failed, to smile.

- - - - -

Syaoran Li was never a pretty sight when he was fuming.

That's why he hated getting angry; it brought out the rawr-I-am-a-Li-and-I'll-kill-you inside him. Well, according to Sakura anyway.

God, that girl drove him crazy.

He shifted his weight on his feet, and recrossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe of Sakura's apartment. He had been waiting for the blessed moment when she would get home, and he _will_ get through her head that being chronically late was something he didn't really like in a girl. Syaoran was always and forever will be an always-on-time guy, and it seemed that the jade-green eyed girl would always and forever be a late girl.

It was one of the things they would always fight about. What? Nobody liked a latecomer, anyway.

Especially when he missed a crucial presentation in university. He had spent an extra thirty minutes waiting for Sakura in Café Li earlier, and it cost him that, and she still hadn't come on time. He had raced to Tokyo University in an attempt to catch up, but the audio-visual room was already empty. Well, Eriol might've been able to pull it off, but still! It was Syaoran's grade point average we're talking about!

He started wondering whether he could get a good job if he flunked his masterals in business administration.

"...huh?"

He looked up, and snapped his head sharply to the side. There stood Sakura Kinimoto, looking like a deer caught in a steamroller's headlights. She was wearing her favorite white sleeveless top and grey jeans that hugged her figure. Her auburn hair certainly looked windswept, and her emerald eyes had gone as wide as they could go. In her pale fingers was clutched a set of keys.

"Finally, she decides to get home," he muttered sarcastically, taking a glance at his platinum-faced watch. "Oh, look. It something like eleven in the evening. Even in getting home she's _late_."

She bit her lip and went up to her door, inserting and turning the key in the lock. "I have classes, Syaoran. You're not the only one who's taking his masteral degree."

"Oh _wow_. And I bet I'm not the only one who missed my thesis presentation..."

She paused, and slowly turned to face him. "What d'you mean, you missed your thesis--"

"Saku-_chan_," he said in a sickly sweet voice--'cause he's really pissed right now--"When I asked you to be my girlfriend, you weren't _this_ dumb."

It gave him a sort of twisted satisfaction to see her squirm uncomfortably. In all probability she'd have some excuse about how her pipes broke or something close to that, and then she'd try to laugh it off, like all the _other_ times she'd been late. However, this was not just some _other_ time; he had _lost_ his one-year thesis because she was late. "So...? Let's hear your excuse this time," he said acidly.

She bit her lip once again, lowering her eyes in shame.

"Oh, wow. It doesn't usually take you _that_ much time to come up with--"

"Oh, God, Syaoran, stop it!" Her voice wavered dangerously.

"What? So you're going to cry now? Well, even an _ocean_ of your tears won't be able to bring back time!" Syaoran pressed on, standing straight now, back rigid with anger. "I--"

"_Stop it already!_" she said brokenly, tears spilling over her porcelain-white cheeks now. "It's my fault, okay! It's my fault because I dawdled over lunch and decided traffic wouldn't be that bad! I procrastinated, I didn't keep track of time, I was late! _It's all my fault so stop insulting me already!_"

Syaoran couldn't resist. "Wow. That's a first," he muttered sardonically.

She paused again, raising her eyes. "I'm sorry, Syaoran. Maybe you should get another girlfriend after all."

Before he could reply, she gave him one frightened look that actually startled him, and she went inside her apartment and closed the door.

"Fine..." he muttered, not having the least inclination to pound on her door and beg for forgiveness. "I see how it is. Fine." He walked off in the general direction of the elevator, staring moodily at the bland tan carpet. He automatically pressed the down arrow and waited for the elevator to come down from the thirteenth floor to this floor, the seventh. The doors slid open, and out stepped two teenage boys, probably drunk.

Heck, he might just take this night off to get drunk, he thought as he stepped in the elevator and pressed the ground floor button.

_breep breep breep breep_

Syaoran ignored the vibration of his phone in its holder attached to his belt. Probably might be Wei, asking if he'd be going back to the Li mansion tonight. Or Eriol, calling to chew him out.

_breep breep breep breep_

He stepped out of the elevators to the spacious main lobby, ignoring the pointed stares of the late-night crowd. He didn't even spare the security guard who openly gasped at the sight of a real Li a glance. Groaning, he realized he still had to remember where he had parked his car.

_breep breep breep breep_

"God, shut up already," he told his cellphone, but it still continued on _breep_-ing happily. Whoever was calling sure was persistent. Sighing resignedly, he slid the piece of machinery out of its leather holder and flipped it open, not bothering to see who it was.

_"Don't you ever pick up your phone?"_ Eriol's voice demanded.

"Speak of the devil," he muttered in reply.

_"I heard that. What's up with you? It's like you swallowed a lemon or something--"_

Syaoran rolled his eyes, but he couldn't stop the feeling of relief spreading in his chest. Maybe Eriol pulled the thesis off, after all. "Hey, about the thesis--"

_"Yep, that's why I called. Can you drive over my place and drop off the softcopy of the feasibility study? Tomoyo spilled coffee all over the folder..."_

He could hear the raven-haired girl yell indignantly in the background, and the sound of a pillow walloping his cousin on the head. Eriol then could be heard cursing softly under his breath as he presumably threw the pillow back--Tomoyo laughed loudly. Well, they _were_ already engaged, but still, Syaoran couldn't help but wonder what they were doing...

_huh?_

"What do you need it for?"he said impatiently, shaking his head. "We're already finished with the presentation, right?"

Syaoran couldn't help but feel a spark of dread. Just a tiny one--

_"Don't you check your e-mail, Syao? The professor's moved our schedule to next week; the panel's down with food poisoning or something like that. So anyway, about the study..."_

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yay.

is that a cliffie?

...this fic just won't die, would it?

Read&review.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Another chapter. Yay for fast updates.

I don't own CCS. If I did, the second movie wouldn't end there.

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- - - - -

**Chronically**_Late_

_Sakura_**Syaoran**

**- - - - -**

Sakura clutched her white pillow tightly, blocking out the sunlight that streamed through her windows. She was never a morning person; that's the reason why she was always so late.

"...argh."

Okay. Not thinking about last night.

She buried herself deeper in the bedcovers, willing herself to go back to sleep.

_ring ring ring ring ring--_"Hi! This is Sakura. I can't come to the phone right now, just leave me a message and I'll get back to you."_ beep_.

"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo's voice filtered over. "G'morning! Just wanted to invite you and Li-kun to the Daidouji place tonight, we're having another dinner party. Please please please come, I'll be bored to death there if you don't! Can you stand that, huh, huh? Call me back! B'bye!"

In spite of herself, Sakura couldn't help but giggle. Tomoyo _did_ have Eriol; how was she going to be bored?

_you and Li-kun_

Groaning, she dragged herself out of bed and ambled over to the bathroom, scrubbing away the crust of dried tears on her face as she went. The answering machine flashed happily, indicating that she still had unread messages. She pursed her lips and pressed the History button.

"Sakura. This is Syaoran. Meet me at Claire & Bonné's tonight, eight sharp. I can't pick you up, I took the car for an oil change." _beep._

Pssh. Like she was going, the idiot, not after what he did tonight! She gave up on the answering machine and trotted back to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Staring at her usual just-woke-up self in the mirror, she ran a hand through her hair, mind still churning with thoughts of Syaoran. How _dare_ he call just like that, no apology, no nothing!

_...but you made him miss his thesis. Now he's not going to be able to graduate. _A small voice at the back of her head said slyly.

Well...he did have a point there. Sakura, too, would be upset if she wouldn't be able to graduate on time. Maybe, just maybe, she should go...

- - - - -

"Good evening, sir. How may I help you?"

Syaoran looked around uneasily. Claire & Bonné's was a little too posh for his taste, with crystal and gold everywhere. However, the place just had to be right. He was going to need a hell lot of luck if Sakura was ever going to forgive him. Heck, he was here riding on the assumption that she _was_ going to come.

"I have reservations for two under the name Li," he said clearly, and the moustached waiter's watery blue eyes widened considerably. Even here his family name was quite famous.

"C-certainly. Right this way, Mr. Li," he stammered, and led him deeper into the restaurant into a secluded outside table, magnificently set with china and candles. White and purple cloth was draped in layers on a circular table, and it was set for two with crystal goblets, fragile china, and silver cutlery. Plain white candles stood, ready to be lit at a moment's notice. He had specifically requested that the area be decorated with fresh cherry blossoms, and the management had done a splendid job. Well, it had taken a good chunk out of the money in his wallet, but no matter. He'd choose Sakura over money any day.

"I'll be right back," his moustache twitched as he whispered almost reverently.

Syaoran watched, amused, as the waiter literally scampered away. His rather good mood slightly evaporated when he contemplated the weight of the task before him. Fighting the urge to collapse into the intricately-made aluminum chair, he instead opted to stand at the railing overlooking a small but well-organized garden. Fireflies flitted around his head, and he almost shooed them away with the bouquet of roses in his hand before he realized it.

He sighed, and checked himself once more.

Long-sleeved blue polo, black dress pants, slightly polished shoes? Check.

Combed hair? Like combs ever worked on his hair, anyway. Check.

Cologne? Erm. Of course, check. He's never forget that; Sakura was the one who gave him a bottle of his now-signature scent. Wow. Eau de Syaoran.

Flowers? Only the best roses flown in from Ecuador. He did not know that a single stem could cost so much; but he bought a dozen anyway. And a separate three stems, intertwined in a bouquet with cherry blossoms. Never, ever forget cherry blossoms.

Jewelry? He glanced at his left hand, and was slightly comforted by the sight of their friendship, er, couple-ship, er, _whatever_ rings. Like he could ever forget that; he had not taken off the ring except for a refitting two years ago. He wondered if he _could_ take it off even if he tried.

He patted his trouser pocket, making sure that last, final, irrevocable piece was there.

It was going to be a long wait; after all, it was only six-thirty in the evening...what? He _was_ nervous.

He only hoped honest-to-goodness that Sakura would not be late this time.

- - - - -

"Have fun, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo waved energetically from their front porch, and Sakura beamed back at her. Eriol raised a hand in farewell before loping his arm around his fianceé's shoulders and ushering her back inside the Daidouji mansion.

She adjusted her rearview mirror and caught a glimpse of her newly-mowed eyebrows and meticulously shaded eyelids. Waxing hurt a hell of a lot more than plucking, she just found out earlier.

Sakura, on deciding to go to Claire & Bonné's just to see what would happen between her and Syaoran, had called Tomoyo for advice on what to do. After all, all she knew about said restaurant was that it was in the upscale part of town, and she had absolutely no idea on what to do.

On having called her best friend, Tomoyo had squealed through the phone for thirty seconds straight before ordering her to immediately come over. A very bored Eriol greeted her at the door and led her up to Tomoyo's studio, where, as expected, thousands of frilly..._things_ awaited her. It turned out that Claire & Bonné's was exclusive for the filthy rich of the city (which meant Syaoran, Eriol, and Tomoyo had already gone there), and semi-formal was considered the way to go. Her best friend was literally shaking with excitement: Sakura was Tomoyo's self-proclaimed model. In fact, if she got her own way, Sakura _would_ be a model for Daidouji Designs.

After something like fifty dresses, hundreds of shoeboxes (some of which she had chucked in a snidely commenting Eriol's direction), and more than a few trips to the washroom to get rid of botched makeup, Sakura had finally had a suitable outfit.

Argh. She felt more like a porcelain doll than ever.

...it didn't help when Eriol wolf-whistled as she examined her appearance in the mirror. But the death threat he got from Tomoyo did.

She tilted her head thoughtfully, glancing at the clock on her dashboard.

6:53 PM, it glowed happily. Claire & Bonné's was a half-hour's drive.

_Pshh. Take that, Syaoran,_ she thought giddily, all dread temporarily forgotten.

- - - - -

"Sir?"

Syaoran gave the manager a weak smile. The clock loomed with twenty minutes to eight, and his knees were getting weaker by the second. He shifted the bouquet behind his back, heart pounding madly. "I'm okay."

"Won't you wait inside, Mr. Li? I can tell the maitré'd to direct the other party to your table."

He stood up and stretched his legs nervously, walking back and forth. He had been waiting just outside Claire & Bonné's, near the lamppost, to personally escort his girlfriend inside the restaurant. Yep, he was that desperate...how stupid and how his words must've stung his cherry blossom. Argh. He was so _damn_ stupid. If Sakura did come...

Behind him, he could hear the manager chuckle softly.

- - - - -

Sakura took a panicked glance at the dashboard.

7:52 PM.

She looked upwards, and the traffic light turned green. She stepped on the ignition and her car shot through the intersection.

She didn't count on the traffic jam--a car crash had blocked the only accessible road to upscale Tomoeda, and she had to crawl through the detour like all the drivers in this rush hour. What's worse, she had overheated for almost twenty minutes on a deserted side road she had taken as a shortcut.

She. Was. Going. To. Be. Late.

Oh God, no.

Syaoran would probably never speak to her again. She won't be able to stand that.

Sakura bit her lip as she approached another intersection, and, as expected, the light glowed red the instant the car in front of her crossed the street.

Ack.

She tapped her foot impatiently, and when she swallowed, she could feel bile rise in her throat.

7:55 PM.

Claire & Bonné's was at least another ten minutes away.

Hot tears sprung to her eyes. She knew it would be childish to cry over something like being late, but in her case, she decided it was perfectly justified.

The light turned green.

Sakura shoved her stiletto onto the ignition pedal, and gripped the steering wheel.

She was going to be on time. Whatever it took.

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Read and review, peoples.

They keep the ficcy going.

The purple button needs love. c:


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **I'm feeling angsty today. So there. Insta-heartbreak. Haha.

CCS would be mine. Someday. Take that!

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- - - - -

**Chronically**_Late_

_Sakura_**Syaoran**

**- - - - -**

Syaoran sighed.

He knew it.

He should've known.

She didn't take this dinner seriously enough to make sure she was on time.

Either that, or she was too pissed off at him to care.

He bit his lip, and got to his feet, tempted to just throw the bouquet into the restaurant's meticously manicured flowerboxes. He _did_ pay for reservations that he would not use, anyway.

Glaring at the ground but feeling utterly devastated inside, he chucked the flowers into the enclosed mini-orchards. They's decay into fertilizer and he would have done the world a favor. He stepped heavily back inside Claire & Bonné's cool interior, which, insultingly, was filled with couples and such. He felt like flying back to China and staying there. In fact, he _would_ fly back to China right after he got out of this restaurant.

"Mr. Li," the manager called, blatantly ignoring that he had just thrown a bouquet of half-wilted flowers into his restaurant's immaculate flowerbox. "It's already eight o' clock , on the do--_aah_."

"Good evening, Sir. Is a certain Syaoran Li still here?" a panicked voice asked.

He felt he could've melted into a puddle on the floor in relief. He ignored the stares of the patrons, berating himself for not having faith that Sakura _could_ come on time, if she wanted to. It suddenly seemed like a very bad decision that he had thrown the bouquet away.

He whirled around, unable to keep a grin off his face.

To say his heart stopped would be an understatement, as he took in Sakura's appearance. It was pretty obvious that Tomoyo had a hand in this. He planned on asking his mother to sign that contract of Li Corporations and Daidouji Designs the first thing tomorrow morning.

_Thank Tomoyo._

_Thank Tomoyo._

She was wearing a snowy white, lace-strapped gown, with loose folds of cloth that draped beautifully over her body. Silver ribbon encircled her wrists and waist, and white sheer chiffon cascaded from her shoulders in the semblance of sleeves. Silver stilettos graced her delicate feet, and his friendship ring sparkled from her left hand. She had left her hair unadorned, and simple diamond studs completed the look. Her makeup, dab of silver shadow, blush, and sheer lip gloss, was light enough not to be noticed, except when scrutinized closely. Which was exactly what he was doing right now.

He tilted his head appreciatively. Wow. In the right light, she looked like an angel. His very own angel.

Sakura flipped her hair bashfully, and smiled. "You can stop staring now, Syao-kun."

"Eh." He felt as nervous as the day he asked her to be his girlfriend. Which was saying something, since it had been five years ago. "Listen, Sakura, er, " he paused, biting his lip. "It turns out we didn't do the thesis yesterday. It was moved to next week."

"...aand..?" she said mischievously, tapping her foot on the tiled floor.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry for blowing up like that. Guess I overreacted a bit."

"It's okay. I knew you were fed up with me getting late," she said gently, coming up to him and patting him on the shoulder. "I should be sorry too."

Syaoran opened his mouth, but snapped it shut once more, words dying in his throat. All that mattered was that Sakura wasn't mad at him. It made living a whole lot easier. He took her hand and led her through the restaurant to their table.

"Don't worry, I'll never be late again," Sakura said beside him determinedly.

Syaoran laughed.

- - - - -

"Eriol, where did you put the remote?" Tomoyo asked, turning over the purple cushions of her room's loveseat. Her fianceé shrugged, and yawned widely as he made himself comfortable on _her_ bed. Nevermind that they were engaged; it was still _her_ bed he was turning into ground zero, from the way he was throwing her pillows about.

"How would I know? It's your room, it's your TV, it's your mansion," he said in a supremely bored voice.

Her eyes flashed at his tone of voice, and she whipped her head up. He was smirking that irritating Cheshire smirk of his. "Give it to me."

"Give what?" he said innocently, blinking.

"Eriol-_kun_."

"Tomoyo-_chan_."

"You asked for it!" she yelled, getting on her bed and plunging her hand beneath his pillows, trying to find the remote. "Argh! It's just a stupid piece of plastic!" she yelled frustratedly. "We're already twenty-four, not ten!"

"My thoughts exactly," he nodded, stroking his chin with the remote he just took out from under his side of bedcovers. "It _is_ just a stupid piece of plastic. Why's it so important to you, then?" He dodged the pillow she chucked at his head. "And to refresh your memory, I'm twenty-five, a year older than you. Ha!"

"Immature!" Tomoyo growled, tackling him and prying the remote from his hands. She sat on his knees and switched her flatscreen TV on, ignoring Eriol's protests of 'Tomoyo! Geroff me, you're heavy!' and 'Agh! You're crushing my kneecaps!' and 'I can't see the TV, you know!'. She flipped through the channels, intending to find some mindless soap opera and study their wardrobe. Hey, whatever works for the public must have at least some good basic principle.

She suddenly felt an arm around her collarbone and she was yanked backwards by the chuckling midnight-blue haired man, pulling her head down to rest on his chest. The remote was thrown upwards from her hands and he caught it easily.

"That's what you get. Remote, pssh." he said happily, channel-surfing.

Tomoyo rolled over so that she was on Eriol's other side, and she positioned herself so that her head was in the screen's direction. Propping herself up on her elbows, she watched the screen change channels. It was oddly hypnotizing.

"Can't get anything good on a Saturday night, can we?" Eriol muttered, pressing some more.

"Hey, wait, stop. Flip it back," she said suddenly, spotting a familiar scene. "Isn't that right in front of Tokyo U?"

A sixteen-wheeler and a jet-black sedan had collided in front of the University, and the reporter was talking animatedly on how it happened. Nobody died but the passengers of the sedan had been sent to the hospital with critical injuries, she related, because the sedan had been totaled into something that remotely looked like a crushed sardine can. Tomoyo was exceedingly grateful Sakura's car was a marina-blue four-door sedan. Who knows what she might do if her best friend got in an accident. Syaoran would probably throw a fit that would make the world tremble in fear. Hah.

"...that's why I never let you drive, we might end up like that." Eriol's voice finished, tossing the remote to one side. She heard it topple to the carpet and she made to dive for it, but two strong hands grabbed at her shoulders and pulled her back once more.

"Eriol!" she screeched.

"Aww. Don't you find me more interesting than the stupid TV, Tomo-chan?" he laughed, brushing away a lock of hair that had fallen across her face. She pouted, and sat up.

"No," she said sarcastically. "I don't."

"Is _that_ your final answer?" Eriol growled, pushing her back down into the pillows, poising his fingers above her ribcage.

"Yep," she answered cheekily.

"You're going to regret that," he promised, fingers descending in an unmerciful dance as he started tickling her.

Tomoyo had no idea that Eriol had much, much more planned for the night, aside from tickling her to possible death from laughing too much.

- - - - -

"Erm."

"What?" she asked innocently, playing with the petals of a rose propped up against a candle-holder.

"I'm just still stunned. You look more girly than ever," Syaoran teased, and Sakura blushed spectacularly, even by candlelight.

"...is that a 'Syaoran' compliment?"

He cocked his head, and leaned forward. "You should know, we've known each other for almost fifteen years now."

She just laughed lightly, stroking the scarlet velvet petals once more. The table had already been cleared, and now only the crystal goblets and wine were left.

He studied her face by the candlelight. A delicate jaw, slanting from her small ears in a gentle sloping angle. Auburn bangs brushed sienna eyebrows (which had noticeably been thinner. Waxed, maybe?), and bright, emerald green eyes sparkled under lush ebony eyelashes. Her slight nose twitched slightly, and her naturally sakura-pink lips were curved upwards into a slight smile.

Sakura was beautiful. That was that.

"Syaoran?" her voice shook him out of his reverie.

"Huh?"

"Y'know, I've been thinking," she admitted. "Thinking about how it took so long before I realized you were the guy for me. I mean, how many years was that? I was so blind and everything that I didn't see the person for me was just beside me all this time. I'm sorry for being stupid," she blurted out, crimson pooling under her cheeks.

Taken aback, Syaoran could only say "Uh."

"...and last night I decided to make up for everything. Well. I know I won't be able to bring back the time you lost from me always being late, but I just want to say I'm sorry. Please?"

"...like I could ever say no. As long as you forgive me for being a jerk last night," he said, reaching across the table and taking her hands in his. He didn't know whose hands were colder--both of them were probably extremely nervous.

She smiled again. "Sure, I forgive you, Syao."

"That means I forgive you too," he swallowed nervously, let go of her hands, and stood up. Fireflies flitted around, making him even more nervous. He felt like he was going to pass out.

"We're leaving already?" she asked sadly as she made to stand up, but Syaoran put a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"No, that's not it..." he paused, heart beating in gallops. Sakura turned to face him, expression mildly curious. "I've been thinking about us, Sakura. I--I realized that I...I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and you alone."

She gasped audibly as he went down on one knee in front of her. He brought out a small velvet jewelry box, and snapped it open, revealing a single teardrop diamond mounted on a flawless white-gold ring.

"Sakura Kinimoto, will you marry me?"

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cliffie!

I'm in the mood for them.

Makes me feel so happy.

Read and review. They make me write more.


	7. She Ain't Chronically Late

**A/N: **And I swear. Cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die. The last chapter. Let's celebrate.

Card Captor Sakura (c) CLAMP.

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- - - - -

**Chronically**_Late_

_Sakura_**Syaoran**

**- - - - -**

There are questions that need a lot of contemplating before answering, such as mothers' perennial favorite 'Where have you been?' and 'Which dress would impress?' and those sort of things.

However, to this question, Sakura knew the exact answer. There was no other option, see.

Syaoran looked up her expectantly, eyes amber and fierce.

Tears brimmed at the edges of her eyes.

"Syaoran...I can't," she said firmly in a voice that wavered dangerously.

He stared at her, eyebrows knotting together. "...Sakura?" he asked quietly.

"I..." her voice broke, and she gripped convulsively at her skirts, not really seeing them through the blur of tears. "I'm not--" she fumbled for her words. "--ready, Syaoran...I can't, I just can't! I, oh, I'm so stupid, Syao, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so--"

A finger was suddenly pressed to her trembling lips, and strong arms wrapped around her, shushing her. Syaoran's voice shook, but it was still firm in the end. She knew he was bleeding inside--screaming, even. She hated having to do this. "Sakura, it's okay. It's okay, stop crying," he murmured, and she tried to stop. The tears came faster than ever, and she broke into sobs. "I can wait."

Syaoran broke away from her, but he still had his hands resting on her shoulders. He smiled warmly, not betraying a hint of disappointment or sadness. His eyes stared into hers, searching.

She smiled sadly. "You'd be waiting forever," she said lightheartedly.

"Then so be it. I'll wait forever, if that's what it takes," he nodded, as if affirming it to himself. "I promise. I won't love anyone else than you, Sakura."

"Neither would I," she declared, and he swept her up into an embrace once more.

- - - - -

"...so explain to me again why're you're spending the night at your father's house?" Syaoran asked as they halted in front of her childhood home.

Sakura squeezed his hand slightly, making him tingle all over at her touch. "I dunno. I just don't feel like driving back to my apartment so late at night."

"I could always just ask Wei to pick us up," he repeated, like he had been doing so the last fifteen minutes. They had earned more than a few stares and double takes as they walked down the sidewalks--him in a rather formal polo and slacks, her in a gown. It was incredible how she managed to walk on her heels without wincing.

"Nah. I wanted to walk. You didn't have to come with me, you know," she pointed out.

Syaoran laughed, running his free hand through his unruly hair. "Like I'd ever leave you alone. Who knows what could happen to you."

"Yeah," she nodded in agreement, smiling. The Kinimoto household's porch was pitch dark; it seemed Fujitaka-san had forgotten to turn it on tonight. The nearest source of light was the lamppost a good ten feet away. No matter; the moon was full today, bright and pale yellow in a clear night sky dotted with stars. "Well."

"Well...I guess I have to bid you goodnight, then," he said uncertainly. "I feel like a highschooler."

She laughed lightly. "Me too."

He couldn't resist pulling her close and pressing his lips to hers, and she melted underneath his touch. No matter. If she didn't want to marry him, he'd wait. He'd truly wait forever--but he hoped it wouldn't take _that_ long.

After a few minutes they had to come up for air, and Sakura was blushing furiously, hands around his neck, his own slung about her waist. He leant forward until their foreheads were touching, panting slightly.

"I love you, Sakura," he murmured.

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I love you too, Syaoran. Always and forever will," she added, with a touch of amusement at the cliché.

"So do I, always and forever will."

Reluctantly, he released her, and she stepped away. The lamppost went out, as it was timed to do so every five minutes. She looked positively angelic, really, in the cool faint light of the full moon and the stars. His very own angel. He was lucky, he figured.

"Goodnight, Syao-kun," she said softly, heels clicking on the steps leading up to the darkened porch.

"G'night, Saku-chan," he whispered back. She smiled one last time and disappeared into the darkness that hid their home's front door. He heard the door creak open, and he took this as a signal to start out for his own home.

He paused, and walked on. He was pretty sure he heard Sakura call out a goodbye.

- - - - -

"Fujitaka-san!" he called out cheerily as he slid the door open. It was a Sunday, and he and Sakura were supposed to do a survey for her thesis today--something about parks and people who go there. "Ohayou!"

However, the scene that greeted him was _far_ from cheery.

"L-li-kun!" Tomoyo wailed in what he supposed was a greeting. He stepped back slightly and surveyed the living room. To his surprise, all of their little posse was there--Rika, Chiharu, Takashi, Naoko, Tomoyo, Eriol, and to his surprise, Meiling. And...his cherry blossom was not with them. Uh.

Eriol nodded at him in greeting, face pale and rather drawn.

"What...what happened?" he asked, staring at the girl's tear-stained faces. His heart plummeted to somewhere behind his navel. Something bad had happened. If it involved Sakura--

"Syaoran?" His raven-haired cousin spoke up in a sympathetic voice. She was wearing a snow-white cheongsam today, and it horribly reminded him of the fact that Sakura wore white yesterday.

_White!_

He had been living so long in Japan that he had almost forgotten that _white_ was the traditional Chinese color for mourning.

Oh God, somebody _died_.

And he had a terrifying suspicion who it was...

"Syaoran, Sakura--"

_"HE'S HERE! THE BASTARD'S HERE, I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"_

"Touya! No!"

A near-hysterical Touya burst out from the general direction of the kitchen, and a panting Yukito desperately tried to restrain him, his grey-blue eyes wide and rather tear-stained. He wisely backed away as Touya's wife, Kaho-san, suddenly came down the stairs and joined Yukito in trying to restrain her husband. Two succeeded where one did not--but Touya still flailed, fingers curved into claws as he tried to wrench himself free.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you!" Syaoran bellowed, leaning backwards and collapsing on the couch beside Eriol.

The tall, imposing brunet grimaced painfully. "If hadn't she decided to go on that stupid date of hers with you...Syaoran! If she didn't go she most probably would've, she most probably would've...!" His voice broke, and he sagged to the floor, whimpering.

"Touya, it's not his fault..." The brunette woman said soothingly, rubbing her husband's back as Yukito released him. Touya knelt on the floor and sobbed unashamedly into his wife's shoulder.

He blanched. No. This wasn't happening. There was only one person who could make Touya break down like that. He leant back into the couch and whispered fearfully. "Can somebody please tell me what's going on?"

"You don't know yet?" Eriol asked quietly.

"Don't know what?" he demanded, pitch and loudness of his voice rising with every syllable.

"Last night," Meiling hesitated, fiddling with the hem of her skirt. "Last night...there was an accident."

"Yes, there was, the one in front of Tokyo U!"

Tomoyo let out a fresh sob and Eriol had to calm her down before his cousin could continue.

"Syaoran, there was another one. Near Café Li," she swallowed, shaking her head slightly. "It...it was Sakura's car. She got hit by a drunk driver while crossing an intersection. And--and..." she trailed off, biting her lip and looking down. Kaho finished the sentence for her.

"She was declared dead on the spot."

Syaoran sat there, numb, for something that lasted a few minutes. Or maybe it was something like forever.

_always and forever will be_

Wait. That was impossible. He had walked her home himself--"When?"

Kaho, once again, answered. "Around eight in the evening."

He spluttered incoherently. "B-but! I was with her and everything last night! Claire and Bonné's, I saw her, I ate with her, I even walked her home! It was past eleven when I... I swear! Ask the manager! Sakura _was_ there! Is this some kind of sick joke?"

He didn't miss the sympathetic glances the people in the room exchanged with each other.

"Is anyone laughing, Li-kun?" Yukito said distantly.

"But Yukito-san! She--I--oh, Sakura--"

Impossible!

He certainly did not hallucinate proposing to her last night!

Tomoyo was crying unstoppably now, hiccuping into Eriol's shoulder. "...and I just talked to her on the phone and just gave her something to wear jade green to match her eyes and all jade and...m-my...Sakura-chan I didn't even get to say goodbye properly just a quick wave--"

Syaoran blinked, imagining rather impossible explanations on what had happened last night. But as the pieces fell into place, and the memories clumped together--it was surreal, but it was awfully, unmercifully true.

Café Li was at least ten minutes from Claire & Bonné's. Even if Sakura had somehow escaped unscathed from the car wreck, there was no way she could've arrived at the restaurant at eight o' clock. On foot or by anything else.

She was wearing snow white, while Tomoyo was insisting that Sakura had left the Daidouji mansion in jade-green. Syaoran remembered thinking that she really looked like an angel--and in all probability, she was one. He never really believed in angels, but maybe this was a good time to do so.

...she refused to marry him. Maybe, just maybe, she knew that they could never get married, because she was already _dead_. His memory shifted, and he could hear in his head her words--'_You'll be waiting forever.'_ and he realized she had meant it literally.

And Sakura had gone home to her father...to see him one last time.

He had just spent yesterday evening with his girlfriend's spirit.

Oh God, his head spun wildly. He put his head in his hands, desperately trying to find some rational explanation.

He could find none.

Sakura had done all she can _not_ to be late...even death did not stop her from coming. She had somehow found a way to be able to properly say good-bye to him, her best friend, constant companion, and would-be fianceé--her _soulmate_. And she _was_ right; she was never going to be late again. Ever. Because all she is now is a broken porcelain doll lying in some morgue out in Tomoeda, all life and cheeriness and soul extinguished cruelly.

She was cured of being chronically late, it seemed.

Dazed, he stood up and made his way outside, deciding that some air might be able to unblock the dam of emotions building up in his chest. His girlfriend was dead. _Dead_ and he was never going to be able to kiss her or to hold her or to whisper in her ear how much he, Syaoran Li, loved her, ever again.

He had almost stepped on something glinting on the porch. Luckily it caught his eye before he had the chance to bring down his foot on it. He instantly knew what it was, and for that, he feared for his sanity.

A silver ring, round amber stone inset in it, and the name _Syaoran_ carved into the metal.

So she _had_ been here...he wasn't hallucinating last night.

That frightened him the most of all.

He bent down to pick it up, and he held it in his fingers, feeling the cool of the metal. It reminded him so_ much_ of her...

"I told you, Sakura-chan," he said aloud, knowing that he would be considered clinically insane if someone caught him talking to thin air, thinking it was his girlfriend. Dead girlfriend. But he just had to say it. Syaoran managed to smile as he clenched the ring tight in his fist. "I'll wait forever. I don't break my promises, you know."

He could almost hear her laughter in the breeze.

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I think the ending's pretty much overused, but I just had to write it.

Now you know why it's entitled 'Chronically Late', ne?

Should I write a sequel?

Lemme know.

Read and review. Thanks to all who stayed with me 'till the end.


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